Air assist fuel injector guide assembly

Abstract

Air assist fuel injectors having one or more inserts that guide movement of a poppet, and an air assist fuel injector having a solid poppet.

1. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet having a stem and a head;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet, said channel having a bore that receives said seat member, said bore having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of another portion of said channel; and  
 at least one insert having a surface that slidably engages at least a portion of said stem of said poppet to guide movement of said poppet, said insert being separate from said seat member and said leg, said air assist fuel injector being configured such that gas and liquid fuel delivered to said injector mix inside said injector at a location upstream of said seat with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said injector.  
 
   
   
     2. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an armature; and  
 a solenoid for actuating said armature, said poppet being attached to said armature.  
 
   
   
     3. The assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert being located at least partially within said channel. 
   
   
     4. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     5. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said bore being a first bore in a first end of said leg, said leg including a second bore in a second end of said leg located opposite from said first end, said second bore receiving at least a portion of said insert and having a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said another portion of said channel. 
   
   
     6. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said at least one insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert having a surface that slidably engages at least another portion of said stem to guide movement of said poppet, said second insert being separate from said seat member and said leg. 
   
   
     7. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 6 , said first insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     8. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 6 , said second insert being located upstream of said first insert with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     9. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said stem of said poppet having a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, said second bearing surface being located upstream of said first bearing surface with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     10. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 9 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     11. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 9 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     12. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 9 , said insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert, said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said first insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet, said second insert having a surface that slidably engages said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     13. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert being a planar disk, said surface of said insert being an interior surface of a throughole passing through said planar disk. 
   
   
     14. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert being a spool-shaped member. 
   
   
     15. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said surface of said insert being a turned surface. 
   
   
     16. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert having a planar portion and a lip transversely protruding from said planar portion. 
   
   
     17. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert further comprising a passageway passing through a wall of said insert for conveying liquid fuel and gas. 
   
   
     18. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 17 , said passageway being one of a plurality of passageways that pass through said wall. 
   
   
     19. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said poppet not having an internal and elongated passageway for conveying liquid fuel and gas through said poppet, said insert having at least one wall and at least one passageway passing through said wall for conveying liquid fuel and gas. 
   
   
     20. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , further comprising an armature attached to said poppet and a spring biasing said armature away from said leg, said insert being located between said spring and said leg. 
   
   
     21. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 1 , said insert being located at least partially upstream of said seat member with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     22. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet having a head and a stem;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet, said channel having a bore that receives said seat member, said bore having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of another portion of said channel; and  
 means for guiding movement of said poppet at a bearing surface of said poppet, said means for guiding being separate from said leg and said seat, said air assist fuel injector being configured such that gas and liquid fuel delivered to said injector mix inside said injector at a location upstream of said seat with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said injector.  
 
   
   
     23. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 22 , said bearing surface being a sole bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     24. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 22 , said bearing surface being a first bearing surface, said poppet further comprising a second bearing surface, said second bearing surface being located upstream of said first bearing surface with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     25. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an armature; and  
 a solenoid for actuating said armature, said poppet being attached to said armature.  
 
   
   
     26. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 25 , further comprising an armature guide for guiding movement of said armature. 
   
   
     27. An air assist fuel injector comprising:
 a poppet having a stem and a head;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet; and  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet, said leg having a recess that receives said seat member and an insert, said insert being separate from said seat member and said leg and having a planar and annular wall with a cylindrical throughole passing therethrough said cylindrical throughole including a cylindrical surface that slidably engages said stem, said seat member not having a bearing surface that slidably engages said stem to guide movement of said poppet, said air assist fuel injector being configured such that gas and liquid fuel delivered to said injector mix inside said injector at a location upstream of said seat with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said injector.  
 
   
   
     28. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 27 , said leg not having a bearing surface that slidably engages said stem to guide movement of said poppet. 
   
   
     29. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet having a stem and a head;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet, said channel having a bore that receives said seat member, said bore having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of another portion of said channel; and  
 at least one insert having a surface that slidably engages at least a portion of said stem of said poppet to guide movement of said poppet, said insert being separate from said seat member and said leg, said insert having a planar portion and a lip transversely protruding from said planar portion.  
 
   
   
     30. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 an armature; and  
 a solenoid for actuating said armature, said poppet being attached to said armature.  
 
   
   
     31. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said insert being located at least partially within said channel. 
   
   
     32. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     33. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said bore being a first bore in a first end of said leg, said leg including a second bore in a second end of said leg located opposite from said first end, said second bore receiving at least a portion of said insert and having a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said another portion of said channel. 
   
   
     34. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said at least one insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert having a surface that slidably engages at least another portion of said stem to guide movement of said poppet, said second insert being separate from said seat member and said leg. 
   
   
     35. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 34 , said first insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     36. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 34 , said second insert being located upstream of said first insert with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     37. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said stem of said poppet having a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, said second bearing surface being located upstream of said first bearing surface with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     38. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 37 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     39. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 37 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     40. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 37 , said insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert, said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said first insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet, said second insert having a surface that slidably engages said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     41. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said insert being a spool-shaped member. 
   
   
     42. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said surface of said insert being a turned surface. 
   
   
     43. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said insert further comprising a passageway passing through a wall of said insert for conveying liquid fuel and gas. 
   
   
     44. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 43 , said passageway being one of a plurality of passageways that pass through said wall. 
   
   
     45. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , further comprising an armature attached to said poppet and a spring biasing said armature away from said leg, said insert being located between said spring and said leg. 
   
   
     46. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 29 , said insert being located at least partially upstream of said seat member with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     47. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet having a stem and a head, said poppet having an internal and elongated passageway for conveying liquid fuel and gas through said poppet;  
 at least one inlet for receiving at least a gas, said inlet being located upstream of said poppet with respect to a direction of flow of said liquid fuel and gas through said injector;  
 a seat member defining a scat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel for receiving at least a portion of said poppet; and  
 at least one insert having a surface that slidably engages at least a portion of said stem of said poppet to guide movement of said poppet, said insert being separate from said seat and said leg.  
 
   
   
     48. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 an armature; and  
 a solenoid for actuating said armature, said poppet being attached to said armature.  
 
   
   
     49. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert being located at least partially within said channel. 
   
   
     50. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     51. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said channel having a bore that receives said seat member, said bore having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of another portion of said channel. 
   
   
     52. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said at least one insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert having a surface that slidably engages at least another portion of said stem to guide movement of said poppet, said second insert being separate from said seat member and said leg. 
   
   
     53. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 52 , said first insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     54. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said stem of said poppet having a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, said second bearing surface being located upstream of said first bearing surface with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     55. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 54 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     56. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 54 , said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said surface of said insert being said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     57. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 54 , said insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert, said portion of said stem slidably engaged by said first insert being said first bearing surface of said poppet, said second insert having a surface that slidably engages said second bearing surface of said poppet. 
   
   
     58. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert being a planar disk, said surface of said insert being an interior surface of a throughole passing through said planar disk. 
   
   
     59. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert being a spool-shaped member. 
   
   
     60. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said surface of said insert being a turned surface. 
   
   
     61. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert having a planar portion and a lip transversely protruding from said planar portion. 
   
   
     62. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 47 , said insert further comprising at least one passageway passing through a wall of said insert for conveying liquid fuel and gas. 
   
   
     63. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet configured to open in a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said injector to discharge liquid fuel and gas from said injector, said poppet having a stem and a head;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet, said channel having a bore that receives said seat member, said bore having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of another portion of said channel; and  
 at least one insert having a surface that slidably engages at least a portion of said stem of said poppet to guide movement of said poppet, said insert being separate from said seat member and said leg.  
 
   
   
     64. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     65. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said bore being a first bore in a first end of said leg, said leg including a second bore in a second end of said leg located opposite from said first end, said second bore receiving at least a portion of said insert and having a diameter that is greater than said diameter of said another portion of said channel. 
   
   
     66. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said at least one insert being a first insert, further comprising a second insert having a surface that slidably engages at least another portion of said stem to guide movement of said poppet, said second insert being separate from said seat member and said leg. 
   
   
     67. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 66 , said first insert being located between opposing faces of said leg and said seat member. 
   
   
     68. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 66 , said second insert being located upstream of said first insert with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     69. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert being a planar disk, said surface of said insert being an interior surface of a throughole passing through said planar disk. 
   
   
     70. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert being a spool-shaped member. 
   
   
     71. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said surface of said insert being a turned surface. 
   
   
     72. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert having a planar portion and a lip transversely protruding from said planar portion. 
   
   
     73. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert further comprising at least one passageway passing through a wall of said insert for conveying liquid fuel and gas. 
   
   
     74. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , further comprising an armature attached to said poppet and a spring biasing said armature away from said leg, said insert being located between said spring and said leg. 
   
   
     75. The air assist fuel injector of  claim 63 , said insert being located at least partially upstream of said seat member with respect to the direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said air assist fuel injector. 
   
   
     76. An air assist fuel injector, comprising:
 a poppet having a stem and a head;  
 a seat member defining a seat for said head of said poppet;  
 a leg having a channel that receives at least a portion of said poppet;  
 at least one insert having a surface that slidably engages at least a portion of said stem of said poppet to guide movement of said poppet, said insert being separate from said seat member and said leg, said air assist fuel injector being configured such that gas and liquid fuel delivered to said injector mix inside said injector at a location upstream of said seat with respect to a direction of flow of liquid fuel and gas through said injector; and  
 an armature attached to said poppet and a spring biasing said armature away from said leg, said insert being located between said spring and said leg.